The invention relates to a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field. The invention may be used, for example, for feeding power to sensors.
German Patent DE 39 22 556 C3 discloses a configuration for non-contacting power and sensor signal transmission having an RF transmitter for setting up an unmodulated magnetic radio-frequency field through a transmission coil, in which a transponder receives the radio-frequency magnetic field and uses it to supply itself with power. The sensor and transponder are supplied with the power obtained from the magnetic field.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field that overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and that provides a highly effective configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field.
With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, including a three-dimensional winding configuration having a central core of a magnetic material, at least three windings fitted on the central core, the at least three windings having at least three winding axes disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point, a rectifier, a resonant capacitor, the at least three windings connected to the rectifier, and the at least three windings connected to the resonant capacitor to form a resonant circuit.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, including a three-dimensional winding configuration having a central core of a magnetic material, at least three windings fitted on the central core, the at least three windings having at least three winding axes disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point, at least three rectifiers each respectively connected to one of the at least three windings, and at least three resonant capacitors each respectively connected to one of the at least three windings to form a resonant circuit.
With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, including a three-dimensional winding configuration having a central core of a magnetic material, three windings fitted on the central core, the three windings having three winding axes disposed at right angles to one another and intersecting at a common point, three rectifiers each respectively connected to one of the three windings, and three resonant capacitors each respectively connected to one of the three windings to form a resonant circuit.
The advantages achieved by the invention include, in particular, that the three-dimensional winding configuration does not require any specific alignment as a function of a magnetic field used for supplying power. The three-dimensional winding configuration is, in fact, always optimally aligned with the magnetic field xe2x80x9cautomaticallyxe2x80x9d in all possible positions, thus, allowing optimum reception and optimum utilization of energy.
The proposed three-dimensional winding configuration is particularly suitable for a configuration, which is proposed in German Published, Non-Prosecuted Patent Application DE 199 26 799 A1, for supplying a large number of sensors with electrical power without the use of wires, using at least one primary winding (primary coil, transmission coil) fed from a medium-frequency oscillator, and with each sensor having at least one secondary winding (secondary coil, receiving coil) suitable for receiving energy from a medium-frequency magnetic field (band from approximately 15 kHz to approximately 15 MHz). The secondary windings so required can be provided very well by the three-dimensional winding configuration according to the invention. The advantage of the alignment process, which is always xe2x80x9cautomaticallyxe2x80x9d optimum, with the magnetic field is particularly important for sensors (proximity sensors) mounted on moving machine components.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the at least three windings are connected to the resonant capacitor to form a series resonant circuit.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the at least three resonant capacitors are each respectively connected to one of the at least three windings to form a series resonant circuit.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the at least three windings are connected to the resonant capacitor to form a parallel resonant circuit.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the at least three resonant capacitors are each respectively connected to one of the at least three windings to form a parallel resonant circuit.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the rectifiers each have DC connections and the DC connections of the rectifiers are connected in series.
In accordance with yet a further feature of the invention, the rectifiers each have DC connections and the DC connections of the rectifiers are connected in parallel.
In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, the windings are transformer windings.
In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the central core is a cubic core.
In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the cubic core has slots holding the windings.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the central core is a spherical core.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, the spherical core has slots holding the windings.
In accordance with again an additional feature of the invention, the central core has three limbs each disposed at right angles with respect to one another and at least one of the windings is fitted on each of the three limbs.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the three limbs have longitudinal axes, the longitudinal axes intersect at a central point in the central core, and two of the windings are fitted symmetrically with respect to the central point on each of the three limbs.
Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a configuration for producing electrical power from a magnetic field, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.